Crochet and fundraising are quite possibly the two most wholesome things you could pair together. Luckily for Aotearoa, the Crochet for Palestine raffle means you can experience just this in the next few weeks. For just five bucks a pop, you can enter the raffle, closing August 11th. Critic Te Ārohi had a yarn with third-year Sociology-student-turned-raffle-organiser Helena Mayer to fill us in on the deets.
Helena told Critic that they got the inspiration for the raffle after initially crocheting watermelon badges (the symbol of Palestinian solidarity) in their spare time. “I just had the idea. I have a bit of time on my hands. I can crochet. I'd love to make a fundraiser. And then I just asked some of my friends who also crochet if they wanted to be involved,” they said. As the movement grew, people began to offer to contribute and the idea of a larger scale raffle was born, with the opportunity to fundraise more and make a bigger difference.
This is now the second iteration of the raffle. Sewing, crochet, visual arts, poetry, clothes, decor, bags and other nick-nacks all up for grabs. The $5 raffle tickets will be split between four different organisations: Palestinian Youth Aotearoa (a local organisation), The Palestine Institute for Sustainability and Biodiversity, Gazan Sunbirds (a para-cycling team who distribute aid), and PAL Humanity (a medical caravan in Gaza).
To sweeten the deal, bonus tickets are available for other acts of solidarity for the cause. Attending a protest or vigil, boycotting products that are complicit in violence against Palestinians, writing to an MP, sharing the campaign or supporting the ‘Grant the Visas’ campaign can all score you bonus entries. And if you have a particular organisation that you’d prefer to support, you can still earn a ticket by donating to them.
Helena said they were motivated to try and fundraise as news of suffering in Gaza continues. Since October 7 last year, it is estimated that over 90,000 Palestinians have been injured in the Israel onslaught, with a death toll of 40,000. The International Court of Justice is considering a case brought forward by South Africa alleging that Israel is committing genocide in its war on Gaza.
In New Zealand, there have been rallies and fundraisers as people find their own way to express support for Palestinians. “It's just been really devastating watching the genocide unfold and sort of not feeling like there was a proportionate response from our government and the people around me,” Helena told Critic. “And [...] fundraising was just one way of being able to support.”
They added: “I guess I don't necessarily have skills in politics or law or something like that, but I can crochet. And I was like, “How can I turn this little skill into something that is meaningful?’ And I think that that's what a lot of other people who have made stuff for the fundraiser as well have said, ‘[...] like, this is the skill I have. I want to contribute how I can.’”
For many Otago students, the conflict may seem distant and overwhelming to engage with. Critic Te Ārohi published a feature article ‘From the Museum Lawn to the Octagon, Palestine Will Be Free’ (Issue 4) as a backgrounder to local protests earlier in the year. Multiple other resources exist in Dunedin as well, including Otago Access Radio (OAR FM) which runs ‘The Watermelon Report’, a podcast with weekly updates about what’s happening in Palestine.
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) and Dunedin for Justice in Palestine run weekly rallies from the Museum reserve to the Octagon on Saturdays, usually from 1pm. Helena said, “There’s always a really good environment to learn things because we always have speeches, so people are presenting and there's new information, but it's also really local.” The PSNA posts their latest events dates and details on their Facebook page.
Tickets to enter the Crochet for Palestine raffle are available from the Google Form on their Instagram, @crochet_for_palestine. Entries shut August 11th, so secure your crochet swag before it’s too late. Your chances may be better than your average raffle as well, with not just one but twenty prizes up for grabs, with a chance to snag some sneaky bonus entries, too.